Fire up the grill, throw on some meat, and don’t forget the fixings. This year we’re celebrating national barbecue month with terpenes!

The beauty of barbecue is often overlooked. When you think about it, however, barbecue is a symphony of sensations. It’s the heat of coals and fire. The aroma of hickory, mesquite, maple, and pecan. It’s the succulent taste of meat that falls right off the bone. Barbecue is regional and personal. Barbecue is poetry. That’s why terpenes are the perfect way to celebrate national barbecue month.

It may seem strange to pair something as primal as barbecue with terpenes, but pitmasters have technically been using terpenes for years. The various woods, fruits, and herbs used to infuse meats with flavor are packed with terpenes. Actually, if it weren’t for terpenes, many of the classic barbecue flavors we know and love wouldn’t exist. 

National Barbecue Month is all about celebrating the wonders of the grill, BBQ sauce, meats, and everything in-between. Keep reading and discover how terpenes are already part of this age-old tradition and how to infuse terpenes into your next BBQ sauce.

Celebrate National Barbecue Month With Terpenes

Anxious to fire up the grill and sink your teeth into some barbecue? We can’t blame you. Here’s the short and sweet of what we’ll be covering today.

• There are several ways to use terpenes in your barbecue, it just depends on the type of product you want to infuse.
• Whether you’re manufacturing a glaze, marinade, or sauce, terpenes can help infuse products with flavors, aromas, and effects.
• Products with a higher fat content will need to use oil-soluble terpenes, whereas products with more water content will require water-soluble terpenes. 
• We think our Master Kush blend would add depth to a Kansas City style BBQ sauce. Terpenes like Myrcene, Alpha-Pinene, and Beta-Caryophyllene provide a subtle sweetness and some not-so-subtle flavors like pine and black pepper.
• Mimosa, on the other hand, would really enhance the Lexington-style sauces from the western parts of North Carolina. Its dominant terpenes (D-Limonene, Myrcene, and Beta-Caryophyllene) create sweet citrus flavors while elevating moods and enhancing focus. 
• Pineapple Express can help balance and elevate the fragrant herbs and spices found in traditional jerk seasonings. This surprisingly floral terpene blend helps unify a wide variety of flavors while maintaining tropical flavors.
• Want to experiment with these flavors before choosing your favorite? Our Beer-B-Que Kit contains all of these in both oil and water-soluble versions.

How to Celebrate National Barbecue Month With Terpenes

There are actually several ways to use terpenes in barbecue, it just depends on your personal style. Are you a dry rub person? Do you prefer to gently marinate your meats overnight? To help you get started, let’s cover some important information about terpenes.

First, terpenes are organic hydrocarbons present in most plants. They dictate the various aromas and flavors plants have, but they also influence effects. Certain terpenes can elevate mood, promote relaxation, and more. For example, terpenes (like D-Limonene) are why the scent of lemon helps us feel more alert and energized.

Second, you can use water-soluble or oil-soluble terpenes depending on what you’re trying to infuse. If you’re a fan of the vinegar or mustard-style BBQ sauces from the Carolinas, you’ll probably want to stick with water-soluble terpene blends. However, if you like a marinade that’s heavier on the fat, you’ll have better luck with oil-soluble terpene blends. 

Whether you’re manufacturing a glaze, marinade, or a good old-fashioned BBQ sauce, this is an opportunity to create something truly unique. Between the various sauces and wood smokes, there’s already an endless variety of flavor combinations. Terpenes just give you even more opportunities to play with aroma and flavor.

Below you’ll find a few of our favorite terpene and barbecue pairings, but feel free to get creative!

Try Master Kush in a Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce

Kansas City BBQ sauces are known for being thick, a bit spicy, and they’re often sweetened with molasses or brown sugar. Infusing this kind of BBQ sauce with Master Kush terpenes lets you skip the Liquid Smoke without losing any flavor.

With dominant terpenes like Myrcene, Alpha-Pinene, and Beta-Caryophyllene, Master Kush provides a subtle sweetness and some not-so-subtle flavors like pine and black pepper. Plus, terpenes like Myrcene and Beta-Caryophyllene are relaxing while Alpha-Pinene provides a kick of alertness. We’re imagining the perfect plate of Burnt Ends, charred to perfection, and infused with the unforgettable, earthy aroma of Master Kush. 

Whether you’re cooking this sauce into the meat or brushing it on afterward, it’s going to add a new, exciting element to this classic style of barbecue. 

Try Mimosa in a West North Carolina BBQ Sauce

The Carolinas have a surprisingly diverse barbecue culture. On the east side of North Carolina, you’ll find the whole hog paired with vinegar-based sauces. Honestly, that sounds delicious! But we think our Mimosa blend will really enhance the Lexington-style sauces from the western parts of North Carolina.

While they’re similar, these sauces are a bit mellower, thicker, and sweeter. Adding Mimosa terpenes creates a brighter, citrusy flavor that’ll have people asking for seconds (or thirds) when you use it to barbecue your next pork shoulder.

This blend is known for its sweet, uplifting effects. Terpenes like D-Limonene and Myrcene create sweet citrus flavors while elevating moods and enhancing focus. Heavy hitters like Beta-Caryophyllene, however, balance out those bright flavors with earthy, spicy notes. Yes, please!

Try Pineapple Express for a Jamaican Jerk Marinade

While it may not be the first style you think of when someone says barbecue, Jamaican jerk deserves a place up there with the best of them. Meat is either dry-rubbed or wet marinated using a mixture of spices and then slowly roasted over a low, smoky fire. The rubs and marinades include a variety of spices and usually Scotch bonnet peppers. So, if you’re sensitive to spice you may want to be cautious. 

Pineapple Express would be the perfect addition to a Jamaican Jerk marinade because it’s all about those tropical vibes. On top of the obvious pineapple flavor, this blend is surprisingly floral. Traditional jerk seasoning includes a variety of fragrant herbs and spices, so the subtle floral notes of this blend will fit right in without the pineapple flavors overpowering everything else. There’s already a LOT going on with these marinades, so it’s all about balance.

Enhance Your Barbecue Sauces With Our Beer-B-Que Kit!

We think these flavors are perfect for sauces, marinades, and glazes. Now, you can try all of them in our Beer-B-Que Kit! In this six-piece sample kit, you’ll get 2-gram samples of both the oil and water-soluble versions of Master Kush, Mimosa, Pineapple Express, and a 50 mL beaker. Plus, if you didn’t guess by the name, these blends are also phenomenal in beer!